The latecomers together with Kairos carefully made their way down the nearly vertical tunnel. The steps were smooth and slippery from wear, and besides the occasional lamp, they could hardly see the passage before them.
It took them a while to catch up behind the rest of the class.
Fortunately the roll call had not yet been done and those who do not have a free pass like Kairos could sneak in without being faulted.
After walking for a while, the students eventually stopped descending, and the tunnel became a path forward. They continued that way for a good quarter of an hour as the passageway widened into a large, brightly lit, underground cavern with a single signboard welcoming them.
Central Mining Station.
This was a vast and bustling place filled with different establishments carved into the walls and people mingling about. Everywhere they looked, there were small groups gathered by heaps of ores extracted from the deeper mining tunnels connected to this place, but the most popular were the superstores with large piles of egg-shaped rocks that filled up the interior.
The head instructor, Er Tian, stopped at a wide open space and gathered his class, then he finally decided to explain their lesson for the day.
“Okay, we have reached the mining centre, so… I have to explain today’s lesson. Well, pick a mining tunnel, find a few egg-shaped rocks, and bring those back here. The ores you find within those stone eggs will be your blacksmithing material. During mining, if you are feeling faint, that’s because you didn’t take the aquamarine gem that could detect bad gases! That, or you did not see it glow pink. Both are entirely your own fault.
Oh, right, I think I forgot to mention there will be monsters below? But you should’ve known that, being apprentice blacksmith and all… Well, have fun.”
The students were speechless, but he waved them away and proceeded to a nearby bar. The crowded mining centre has to be accommodating to hunters, merchants, shoppers, and the highly regarded miners, and it is easy to find a few entertainment facilities and eateries in this place.
Watching their irresponsible instructor leave, half of the class nearly swore out loud, but just in case some overly righteous person decided to tell on them they struggled to swallow their curses back into their stomachs.
“Instructor!! We don’t mind fighting monsters, but if you have such plans for us, tell us sooner!”
“God, I didn’t even bring my weapon, it’s still in the sword repair centre… Where’s the nearest exit?”
“What the heck? Who is this old man that's all muscles and no brains… I’m really screwed over by him! I thought that the ore hunting lesson is supposed to be an advance blacksmithing course? Why did he bring us to join the actual miners?”
Everyone had black faces. To seek the stone eggs that naturally encapsulates rare and valuable ores is an act that requires one to risk life and limb. Unlike regular metals, the spirit ores used to make equipment at Huang Grade, and above are often guarded by powerful beasts.
Because of this, only trained specialists extract those materials.
Such arduous tasks are best left to professional miners; there are good reasons why this an illustrious and well-paid occupation.
The students got into small groups and split up while grumbling. Alucard and their acquaintances naturally joined Kairos, and they left towards one of the mining tunnels. Behind them, Calculus quietly followed.
The moment they stepped underground, the aquamarine gems that they took from the metal bin aboveground started giving off a pale blue light, unlike the traditional white hued crystallised light. Using it as their light source, the group wandered aimlessly while travelling deeper into the mine shafts, until the presence of a powerful demon alarmed them. Of course, the term ‘powerful’ is relative. Though it is a considerable foe for beginner adventurers, any of them could defeat it one on one with some effort.
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“Want to check it out?”
“Sure, it might have the stone eggs we are searching for.”
They approached the presence, feeling the tension in the air increase as they traverse through the multiple intersecting tunnels.
“Just around this corner. Get ready guys,” Someone said as everyone halted their steps. The group quietly took out their weapons and prepared to battle. When they turned the corner and came face to face with it, they saw a tiny beast the size of small human children. It is seated hunching on a small rocky island surrounded by shallow waters.
It looked right back at them, its eyes reflecting red against the light, then it growled menacingly.
“A cave Troll...,” Alucard said, drawing a deep breath, “… fortunately it looks alone.”
“Shall we take it down?” Alan swirled his tonfas in hand, eager to battle. Tommy is already working hard in his training, though his cultivation had a reset from what Kairos told them, they know that a moment of lax and he will outstrip them all.
Despite their eagerness, they were cautious as they approached, yet the moment they took a step forward, the troll stood up and launched itself at them fearlessly. It had given these intruders a warning, but they ignored it and continued.
The small black creature charged into their midst like a shadow.
Now that it has come close, they could see its hideous features. Two spike-like teeth protruding upwards on either side of its foaming maw, a flat nose-less face, and overly large blood-red eyes. On each side of its face, there are two pairs of reptilian orifices which act as its nostrils and ears. Its elongated arms were thin, with cave moss growing on its, dry, scaly skin. But instead of normal keratin scales, it was made of a layer of tiny, rock-hard bone plates.
Though it is small in stature, the cave troll is the apex predator in these tunnels. All monsters that crossed its path know that it is better to stay away, but these humans are different, it did not smell any fear from them. If it were any other creature, it would become cautious when something unknown boldly approaches, but the cave troll only considered these intruders as challenging it, and despite being outnumbered, it showed no intent to back down.
The troll charged into the humans trespassing its territory furiously, quicker than they expect. It swung its arm upwards at a tremendous speed, catching Alucard right in his chest and sent the startled boy flying backwards into Leaf and Snow.
The two girls that tried to catch him were surprised at the force and all three tumbled back together.
The Blue Frost girl, Flora Craftslove, took out a primitive looking stone Warhammer and leapt at the monster. With a wide grin, she sent a crushing blow at the armoured creature’s head and elicited a howl of fury and pain from it.
The impact from a blunt object worked well against armoured targets, however, there was someone who completely disregards such physical defences.
Making use of the slight delay caused by creature flinching, Edward dashed forward like a bolt. At the same time, he took out two talismans, one in each hand. In a blink of an eye, he reached its side and fired Tommy’s Ki Blast talisman straight at its head. The shockwave, as wide as a barrel, smashed into the cave troll.
It had just recovered from Flora’s blow to its head, but received another with no less power.
Pain blinded it as its vision turned red and blood flowed out of its nose while it struggled to maintain conscious, but it endured. It’s only thanks to its constitution that far outstrip humans that allowed it to withstand blows that would easily knock out most cultivators.
It crouched on the floor, wounded but furious. With the trolls’ naturally powerful regenerative abilities in their blood, given a short moment, it would be back to its usual, savage self.
As a subterranean creature it may be smaller than creatures on the ground, however its strength is comparable with Orcs, and because of its blood, its energy is unusually high.
But, before it could shake off the concussive effects, Edward activated the second talisman in his hand. The archer’s self-made Death Spike talisman.
Thanks to Kairos’ runic reading ability, their group can create a variety of high-level talismans. This particular one is made with Edward’s specialty in mind: Armour-piercing effects.
The archer, almost gently, slapped the talisman onto the top of the cave troll’s skull – the most armoured part of the creature’s body; even his wrist blades would be unable to break through.
He could tell that among his techniques, only his secret art can defeat this troll, but there is a simpler way.
When the talisman activated, a third of the yellowed paper disintegrated, replaced by a runic symbol that appeared on top the monster. A foreign energy gathered beneath the rune, and a sharp pain ran through the troll like a bolt. And there, the archer’s Ki condense to form a spike through its brain.
*GUOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH*
The creature fell dead with a great cry, as blood poured out of its orifices while its corpse continued to spasm on the floor. Just as its namesake, it was a Death Spike.
Those fighting alongside the archer, shuddered like leaves, as an unnatural chill seemed to flow down their spines and their faces blanched.
“T… that’s terrifying... I’m glad he’s on our side…”